Most, if not all, currently existing mobile devices (such as smart phones) have integrated cameras allowing users to take digital images. It is quite common for people to take and store images using mobile devices only. It is also common for mobile devices to run software applications for editing images. The editing may include color or scale adjustments, applying effects or color filters, or other digital image transformations.
Certain existing software applications allow users to merge images together. This may include merging a background image with an image depicting an individual. For example, when one individual in a group of people is designated as the group's photographer, he or she is left out of the images. The designated photographer can be later integrated into desired images. However, the existing merging techniques have certain drawbacks. For example, they may require users to perform a variety of operations to create the composite image (including masking out one subject from the first image for placement into the second image before performing other effects (such as blending and feathering to make the image look more natural). Moreover, the existing merging techniques are time consuming, inefficient, or inconvenient.
It should be noted that the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.